THE HOBBIT: BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - Movie Review

 Title: The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
Running Time: 144 min
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Luke Evans, Lee Pace, Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lilly, Aidan Turner,Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Stephen Fry, Ken Scott

Review:
What "Star Wars" was to the 70's and 80's, "The Lord of the Rings" was to the 2000's: An instant world-wide pop culture phenomenon that spawned hundreds of millions of fans that rewatch the films over and over again and whose knowledge about the saga even goes beyond the movieverse. Yes, Peter Jackson put a book into film that was considered unfilmable for a long time, and when we look at the result, we can be happy The Beatles didn't succeed in making their planned adaptation with Paul as Frodo, Ringo as Sam, George as Gandalf, and John Lennon as Gollum.* Who knows what would have happened to "The Hobbit" then, the story that Jackson brought into cinemas 9 years after "The Return of the King". And a story whose epic conclusion is out in cinemas right now.
"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" is a great and worthy finale for this prequel trilogy. Obviously, the stakes aren't as high as in the "Rings movies", but looking at "The Hobbit" on its own, this third film really captures the tone of the franchise while still going darker. At the end of last year, we were left with a fire-breathing cliffhanger and as a result we get thrown right into the action this time. A lot of stuff happens at the beginning. Stuff that we probably thought would make up more of the whole film's story, and after a few calmer moments the movie comes right back with the event giving it its title. If the first film was all introduction, and the second part all storyline, then this film is all action. It is basically this one epic battle, but now that we have gotten to know all these characters, we have people to care about on multiple sides.
Martin Freeman has nailed his portrayal of Bilbo once more and especially at the end of the movie, gets to show that off. Richard Armitage does great as well, although his characters' development felt a little bit rushed.
Eventhough not all the drama of the film works, a lot of the emotional moments at the end really hit you, and Jackson also manages to tie the film nicely to the beginning of "The Lord of The Rings", which brings back some nostalgia as well. Fundamentalistic book-lovers will, however, be disappointed, since there are quite a few changes made. Personally, I didn't mind them, as I felt they did not hurt the overall atmosphere. All in all, "The Battle of the Five Armies" puts a great last piece into the Middle-earth saga, that is very fitting with its two predecessors. So if you liked those, you will definetely get your money's worth.
Now, we have an epic fantasy hexalogy on our hands!

 

For Fans Of:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (2013)

The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

Click Here To Watch Trailer! 

And check out my friend's review over at B.A.'s Screentest for a second opinion!

*true story

TOP 5 UNCONVENTIONAL CHRISTMAS MOVIES - Holiday Special

Hello there puny humans,
'tis just a few days till Christmas and just in case you are sick and tired of the old reruns of all the classic Christmas films like Home Alone, Christmas Vacation and The Santa Clause, then you might want to consider my "Top 5 Unconventional Christmas Movies". These films are all set on the holiday in question, but don't necessarily capture its spirit the way you'd expect. So enjoy the list, and maybe you will find yourself a whole new favourite Christmas film :


5. KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005)

 "Its hard to believe it was just last Christmas that Harmony and I changed the world." This is the first line of the film's narrator, and eventhough you don't get that big of a Christmas vibe due to its sunny Californian setting (with the exception of Michelle Monaghan in a Santa dress), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang makes the list. Why? Because it's just so damn good. One of the best crime-comedies of all time. Clever, ridiculously funny, and unpredictable, this film starring Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer is a must-see the whole year round. But why not watch it in the season the story takes place in?


4. IRON MAN 3 (2013)
I almost wanted to disqualify this Marvel blockbuster, because of its many similarities to the flick listed above. It too is directed by Shane Black, and also stars Downey Junior once more as an unreliable narrator. However, this December set superhero story has a lot of ideas to show off on its own. I mean, Tony Stark turns Christmas tree balls into grenades. The winter holidays hardly get more bad-ass than this. And who could forget the giant bunny? So, despite its controversial take on the "Mandarin", this flick from the MCU has everything a Christmas movie needs: Snow, Fun and Explosions!


3. BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

The second comic book movie on the list, but this time it is DC. Tim Burton's wonderful take on the caped crusader, doesn't only manage the difficult task of handling multiple villains, but also gives us a nice Christmas setting. The paradox of seeing those innocent holidays being celebrated in a rotten town like Gotham is entertaining on its own. But the Dark Knight fighting in white snow, as well as the Penguin's henchmen jumping out of giant presents, is a whole 'nother level of awesome. All of it mixed with the iconic performances of Pfeiffer, DeVito and Keaton, makes this pioneer of superhero films a terrific movie to watch this winter!


 2. DIE HARD (1988)
Did I say earlier that the holiday season doesn't get more bad- ass than exploding Christmas tree balls? Well, how about you go to the Christmas party of your estranged wife's work-place, which is held on the 30th floor of an otherwise empty building, and suddenly a bunch of terrorist take all the guests hostage, and you (being the only one left) have to fight your way through all of them. One at a time. Alone. With no shoes on...
That's John McClane's Christmas story for ya! Maybe the greatest action movie ever made, and yet it still somehow manages to get a message about trust and the importance of family across.


1. GREMLINS (1984)

This film earns its number one spot on this list, because it is so traditional and at the same time, it so isn't. All the old Christmas movies seem to follow a similar pattern: The family just starts the Christmas preperations, when something goes wrong. Either you accidently left a child back home, or you were foolish enough to leave Clark Grisworld in charge, but no movie takes it as far as Spielberg, Columbus and Dante did, with their 1984 monster adventure. Silent night? More like violent night! Starting off with the classic snowy eighties small town, and a wacky but likable father who buys a special present for his son, all hell suddenly breaks lose when the vicious little Gremlins rise up and create more than a little chaos: An old lady gets thrown out of a window, a school teacher is eaten alive, and when the humans fight back, you don't only see the evil-doers getting turned to sludge by a blender, but also exploding in microwaves. An immense amount of brutal fun for the whole family. Gremlins truely is - a Christmasterpiece!


So these are my alternatives to watch during the holiday season! If you feel like I've missed some movies, just stayed tuned and wait for the end of 2015, when I will reveal my "Another Top 5 Unconventional Christmas Movies" list. But of course not before you've checked out all of my suggestions on this one. All that's left for me to do now is to wish all of my lovely readers a very merry Christmas!

Your Cinemartian

OUTSIDE HOLLYWOOD EP.7 - Marketing, Trailers, Suicide Squad and more...

 Hello there puny humans,
it's Episode VII of our movie podcast and my buddy from B.A.'s Screentest  and I got so excited about that, that we've kinda stretched ou usual length of 30 minutes per part. In the first of these two, we are talking about trailers: What makes a good trailer? How should or shouldn't a film be marketed? What did we think of the Jurrassic World, Terminator, and Star Wars Trailers? All in an interesting 40 minutes:

In the second part we talk in depth about the "Suicide Squad" casting news, as well as our recent reviews and films you should watch:

Hopefully you will find this episode interesting and have as much fun as we do. To me, the part where Björn leaves the room was a new experience for me.

Your Cinemartian

HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 - Movie Review

Title: Horrible Bosses 2
Running Time: 108 min
Director: Sean Anders
Starring: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudekis, Charlie Day, Chris Pine, Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Aniston, Jonathan Banks

Review:
If a comedy gets a sequel, it was usually very successful. However, it always seems like hit-or-miss with these follow-up films. "The Hangover Trilogy" for example decreased in quality with every installment, while "22 Jump Street" managed to deliver the same way the first one did. So now, the trio involving Bateman, Day and Sudekis is up with their second film, and the hopes of satisfiying audiences once more.
Overall, "Horrible Bosses 2" does what it is supposed to do: It makes you laugh. Just like in the first film, the three main actors are the heart of the story. Their great chemistry leaves you with the impression that they had lots of fun on set, and it really transfers to the audiences. The movie also offers a nice mix of situational comedy, physical comedy, improvisation and some jokes that are simply a matter of how a scene is framed, which makes for some hilarious moments. Next to all that, the references to pop culture and the first movie (including the return of Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Foxx) are a treat as well. In general, you have to give the film credit for its ambition, as it has some stylish transition at points, and tries to make its plot stay unpredictable.
But the movie has some weak points too: As often the case with comedy sequels, the characters become more exaggerated versions of themselves, so much so, that they are almost one-note. Further, the raunchy humor goes a little bit over the top sometimes, especially when Aniston is on screen.
So is "Horrible Bosses 2" as good as the first one? Not quite. Does it revolutionize the comedy genre? Nope. Is it a flawless film? Also no. But I felt entertained nonetheless and had a great time watching it. Therefore, if you just want to have a fun night out, this is the right film to watch!

For Fans Of:
Horrible Bosses (2011)
This Is the End (2013)
We're the Millers (2013)

Click Here To Watch Trailer!